You will love how easy and satisfying this roasted squash is. It takes a bit of work to peel the squash, but after that it’s just a matter of waiting for it to soften in the oven. I like to eat this either as a snack or an addition to dinner. Just sprinkle a little parmesan and salt on top, and you’re set! The squash is very creamy and quite filling by itself. Butternut squash is also packed full of vitamins and is very healthy. I like to add cheese because why not! So tasty!

I was challenged by Fully Belly Sisters to make a dish that was orange for Cycle for Survival. My first thought went to butternut squash and I knew I wanted to make a dish with that for this wonderful event. Justine has put together a cycle team for one of their fundraising events on March 8th. If you would like to donate to this cause please visit this link http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/justine. All donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the funds donated for Justine’s ride will go directly to MSKCC to help patients around the world.

Cycle for Survival was founded in 2007 and has raised more than $61 million to date. The money raised directly funds clinical trials and research studies that bring new hope to countless lives touched by rare cancers. More than 50% of people with cancer are battling rare cancers, such as brain, pancreatic, cervical, stomach, thyroid and ovarian cancers, and all pediatric cancers. These cancers don't often attract research dollars needed for new therapies and treatments, so patients are left with limited options. Cycle for Survival has contributed to more than 100 clinical trials and research studies, and also to major research initiatives that will change the way cancer is diagnosed and treated. Please check out their site for more information cycleforsurvival.org.

So I was really craving a pastry the other day, but I didn’t want to go out and buy one. I mean…they’re expensive. Like $3 for one! I decided to try making them on my own….and by making them I mean buying premade pastry dough and adding some jam on top.

I didn’t really follow any recipe, but I saw images (most likely on Pinterest) of pastries being baked with blueberries in the center. So, I thought to myself, I’ll just bake some pastry dough with some jam in the center, and then ta dah a danish. You know what? It actually worked! And it worked well!! These are super easy, look super fancy, and are fun to eat.

These would be fun to make for a family breakfast or a party of some sort. Not to mention that they only take 20 minutes to make. I will say to make sure that you use a thick jam. I tried to use a fruit spread, and let’s just say that the filling melted before the dough had risen. It was a bit of a mess. I used a strawberry jam for these, and they turned out perfect. The jam melts, evens outs, and fills the shell perfectly. It’s simple and fun. I know you’ll love these as much as I do. I can’t wait to make more in different flavors!

Now I’m not in New England or anything, so I don’t have to tunnel my way out the front door. On the other hand, it’s been in the single digits and below for far far far too long. Why is it that the closer we get to spring, the colder it gets outside? Doesn’t Mother Nature know that’s not how this works?

Well, it’s a good thing that we have this amazing chili to help keep us warm while the negative windchill keeps on dropping! The beauty is that after cooking the meat on the stove, everything else happens in the slow cooker. All you need to do it put everything together in the pot and then let it do its thing.

Because you cook it for at least four hours, the meat becomes super tender and just begins to fall apart. It’s a nice change from the ground beef or chicken that you could use for chili. I also like to add lots of veggies to my chili. Not only does it help to give some body to the dish, but you also feel like you’re being totally healthy. We like to make up a big batch and then freeze half of it for later. It becomes a great time saver when your schedule leaves no time for cooking…or the weather is so cold you don’t feel like getting out of bed.

With all this cold and snow, I decided I needed some chocolate. But I also was feeling a bit lazy, so I thought the perfect thing to make would be these no bake cookies! I love no bakes for a whole bunch of reasons, and so should you! Not only is everything made in one pot (can you say less dishes!) but they come together in less than 30 minutes and on top of everything they’re just incredibly addicting.

I actually used almond butter instead of peanut butter, and I didn’t taste a difference. The almond butter gives it a bit of creaminess, but instead of noticing an almond flavor gets a bit buried under the cocoa powder. So feel free to sub the almond butter for peanut butter if that’s what you have. My almond butter was also natural and didn’t cause the cookies to be runny (in fact they’re still a bit crumbly) so just use whatever is currently in your pantry. I’d say that these are like breakfast cookies since they contain oats, but I’d be kidding myself. Although with just one cup of sugar in the whole batch, it’s almost like it’s a healthy/cheating cookie. Am I right?!? Anyone?

I’m fairly positive that you have all you need to make these in your kitchen right now. So grab a pot and let’s get set! Nothing’s better than taking a break with a cup of coffee or tea and a few of these.

This has got to be the easiest soup ever! It’s a bit of a cheater recipe as in I just use water instead of stock, but it tastes just fine to me so I’m not going to worry over that. This miso soup goes nicely with my easy onigiri for a nice light lunch or if you decide to pick up some sushi (which we totally did for dinner). You could even pair this with some curry if you were looking to round out your dinner.I’m usually weary about picking up sushi at the grocery store as I’ve had some bad experiences, but our Kroger actually has a really nice looking sushi bar. We’ve picked up sushi there a couple of times now and it’s been super delicious (and a bit cheaper) than some of the other places around here.

We’ve had this miso paste for quite some time now, so I decided it was time to make some soup. I mean especially with this super freeze that’s happening outside, we needed some way to warm up. Plus it gave me the perfect excuse to buy sushi and make rice balls (which I’m always up for). Miso is actually pretty healthy for you, and you can add a bit of seaweed which is also known to have health benefits.

The seaweed you’re going to want to look for is called wakame. It might be a bit hard to find if you don’t have an Asian grocery store nearby, but I have seen it sometimes at the regular store as well. If you still can’t find it, there’s always Amazon. If you search for it there, you get a bunch of choices. I’d probably pick based on reviews. Then you round out the soup with tofu. I always buy an Asian brand (usually Japanese) since the quality is better. That’s all you need for this soup, and you really don’t even need the seaweed and tofu. Those are just bonus. Make this totally easy soup and warm yourself up during this cold winter!

Hi! My name’s Alexis and I finally took the leap into blogging after reading so many fun posts by other food bloggers. I’ve always had a passion for eating, but have never really felt comfortable in the kitchen. There are so many drool-worthy recipes out there, that I wanted to document my musings in the kitchen both following others’ recipes and becoming brave enough to create my own. Please take a look around! I really want to hear from you! If you make something, like something, don’t like something, please comment or use the contact form! Reading your comments really makes my day! If you’re looking for an easier way to get my recipes, you can sign up for my email and get them directly to your inbox. I hope to hear from soon.